You Can't Hide From Me Forever
by EnchantedStarling
Summary: Separated from his friends, Harry decides to hear the prophecy alone. It's far different from what Dumbledore showed him. For good or ill it was time for him to make some decisions, and to sent some memories to a certain Dark Lord. [AU from Ministry, Pre-slash/romance, slighty angsty.]


I'm not sure where I wanted this to go, so I'm sticking with a one shot for now. Because as I said in my other one shot that I'm slowly building up my writing muscles.

I had a lot of inspiration for this that just suddenly flooded me as I was making my lunch [alfredo pasta and garlic bread... yum!] I've read a few soul mate stories, harry not actually being the BWL, and all that jazz. But the biggest inspiration for this comes from another oneshot that I can't remember who it's by nor the name of it. If you or they do reconize the connection please let me know so I can thank them and hope they aren't upset about it.

Warnings: Nothing too bad. Pre-slash. AU starting at the Ministry fiasco. Quite a number of HP cliche`s.

Disclaimer: _It's not mine. Never will be mine. I don't own the HP characters. The HP plotlines. The HP world. The HP spells. And everything else that's HP stuff. If I did own it... well... it would've been Au from the moment Hagrid entered the picture._

* * *

You can't lie to me forever

* * *

_As Harry and his friends ran through the labyrinth like halls of the Department of Mysteries the ricochet sounds of spells bouncing of walls and yells of terrified children was loud enough to wake the dead. As it was they were still alone, still running, and still in immediate danger. It annoyed Harry that law enforcement was always slow. They should've been renamed the Clean-Up Crew. Not even Dumbledore's Order of The Phoenix was there to save them. _

_As they came to a split in the hallways a volley of spells separated Harry from the rest of his friends he ran into the Veil room. In the sudden smothering silence Harry looked behind him to the closed door. It was as if he stepped into another dimension. One where the shadows had life and the air was replaced with a thick sort of magic. The presence of everything and nothing turned Harry's hair on end, goosebumps raised up on his skin and just as he let out a lungful of air he heard it. The whispering coming from the center of the room. _

_The archway was covered in a near transparent cloak as if from a dementor yet more... more something he didn't know. But it brought a deep fear in the pit of his stomach. He wanted to get closer but as he moved the prophecy orb in his hand caught his eye. Looking down he realized now was the time to hear what it said. He knew he should get back to his friends, but this was what Voldemort was after. What the Order was protecting. Why? What was so important about this prophecy? _

_Concentrating on the orb and the prophecy within the whispers of Trelawney laced with otherworldly voices echoed in the center of this head;_

_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches_

_Born to those who have thrice defied him_

_Born as the seventh month dies..._

_And alongside him will the Soul Mate to the Dark Lord be born_

_And the Dark Lord will Mark him as his equal _

_ For he will have power the Dark Lord knows not_

_For together will bring reign to the Kingdom of Magic_

_Or apart will the world fall to the Light and their Vanquisher_

_And Either must die at the hand of the Other_

_For Neither can live while the Other survives_

_The one with the power to Vanquish the Dark Lord approaches..._

_Harry stared in shock at the orb. Oh he was truly freaking out. There was a soul mate? He already had to fight Voldemort, he couldn't handle two!_

_"No wonder Dumbledore didn't want Voldemort to find this. If he knows... Oh Merlin if he knew we'd never have a chance!" Harry in his panic didn't think the prophecy though, didn't comprehend what 'Kingdom of Magic' and ' will the world fall to the Light'. It was hard for new information to change what you always thought. So Harry yet didn't understand the meaning of the fated words._

_"I've got to destroy it, forget rescuing it," As Harry spoke a door on the other side of the Veil room opened and in ran his friends followed by Death Eaters. _

_"Shit!"_

* * *

_"I'm sorry sir, the orb... when Malfoy tried to take it from me it dropped out of my hands and broke," Harry's distraught face looked to the side. He wasn't upset about the broken orb, but about Sirius. His hope for a better life than the Dursley's was gone. He was disappointed, but mostly in himself. For thinking his life could ever get better. Yet the survival instinct was there, the determination and need to keep going, he made it this far, he'd be dammed if he died before his hair got the chance to grey or had the children to raise._

_In the corner of his peripheral vision he saw Dumbledore look at him with a grim expression and a nod, "Perhaps it is for the best, my boy. But knowing that Tom was after it, perhaps I should have realized it was time for you to know. I never wanted to burden you with this."_

_Harry looked up, belatedly realizing that Dumbledore didn't know he already heard it, just as he was about correct the Headmaster he tapped the edge of a pensieve with his want and out came the voice of Trelawney. Yet in between some lines it seemed where was a strange break, like pieces of a song were cut out._

_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches_

_Born to those who have thrice defied him_

_Born as the seventh month dies_

_And the Dark lord will mark him as his equal_

_For he will have a power the Dark Lord knows not_

_And either must die at the hand of the other_

_For Neither can live with the Other survives_

_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches..._

_"Wait... what..." Harry stared incredulously at the pensieve. That... no. That wasn't what he heard. Why? Why was the Headmaster giving him this? He could tell with the broken rhythm that this wasn't the full prophecy. What was going on here?_

_"I am terribly sorry my boy. I truly didn't want to burn you with this knowledge so soon. I wanted you to be a child for a little longer. But perhaps it is just as well. This war will soon come to a peak and it is important that you understand why you are so important to us." Dumbledore looked at him with his face lined in sadness and grim determination._

_"So.." Harry's brain was still trying to catch up. It wasn't that he didn't realize more things were being hidden from him. He just couldn't comprehend why. 'Why isn't he telling me about the Soul Mate? Is the Soul mate already gone? Or.. or what?'_

_It appeared Dumbledore didn't need to wait for Harry to ask more questions for he continued on anyway, not realizing Harry felt more lost than before. "Yes, on the night Trelawney made her prediction one of Tom's spies had heard the first three lines and ran off to Tom to tell him. It was that fateful Halloween night that he decided to attack your family and kill you to stop you from defeating him. Of course as we know it went wrong."_

_There was a sort of smug look in Dumbledore's eyes that made Harry's instincts jump a little. Looking away he could feel the anger building up. He could feel his magic swirling in an upset vortex, ready to lash out at his command. He needed to hear something, something that would make everything okay. _

_"But... but wouldn't there have been other children born the same day or something? Why me?" Harry's voice broke at his desperation. 'Please,' he pleaded in his mind. 'don't let me believe it's my fault my family are dead.' _

_"Alas there was one other. Your friend Neville Longbottom." Harry's eyes widen and snapped over to Dumbledore. He nodded, continuing on," Yes, both your mother's were great friends you know. Lily and Alice went into labor together, after Neville was born you were as well, just as midnight hit, as the seventh month died. It was quite a scene, two women here in the hospital wing together and giving birth to two children together." _

_Again, the turmoil climbed. 'Neville? Neville and I were born together? Oh dear Merlin... I can't think anymore.. '_

_"Why... erm.. why did he come after me then, sir?" His voice was timid and cracking with emotion, and he winced at how pathetic he sounded._

_"It is my believe that because you were a half-blood, like him, that he found you to be a bigger threat. Alas we might never know, but you were meant to be the one to kill him my boy. I'm so terribly sorry."_

_"So it's either me or him, right?"_

_"Yes my boy."_

_"And what's this power he knows not? Am i supposed to have some sort of super power or something? I'm only fifteen!" Harry cried out._

_"I had once told you in your first year that it was your mother's love that saved you. And your mother's love that powers the wards at your home. I have complete faith that your amazing capacity to love will be Tom's downfall. After all, it was what saved you at the Ministry when Tom entered your mind, yes?"_

_No, it was the determination that Voldemort never find out about the prophecy that mainly did it, but Harry nodded anyway, not wanting to explain that right now._

_"And the Dursley's? Why? Why do you keep making me go back there? They're terrible to me! They hate me. I've told you so many times, they're awful. Is this why? That protection you told me about?" At Dumbledore's solemn nod Harry twisted his fingers, he needed to calm down he knew. But he just felt like running away, and throwing up._

_And as the Headmaster told Harry he knew he wouldn't be so loved, as unhealthy and broken as he was he still needed the protection, Harry's magic lost it. The pain of a thousand belt lashes. The nauseating pangs of hunger. The tears he learned not to shed. The scathing words. The hate. The lack of love. The hugs he never had. The care he never received. The hope in Sirius he lost. And the knowledge that Dumbledore **always** knew. _

_The Headmaster's office would never be the same again. And neither would Harry when he was sent back to the Dursley's and had the time to analyze everything. _

* * *

_It was the middle of summer now. Harry had been taken from the Dursley's to Grimmauld Place. He didn't want to be there. He screamed and raved and had a Calming Draught shoved down his throat courtesy of a certain ugly bat._

_But one good thing was there._

_The Library. _

_Harry came to realize that there was something strange going on. He knew it at the end of the year in the Headmaster's office. Why wasn't he told about the soul mate? What really was this connection between him and Voldemort? Mother's pleaded to the life of their children all the time. Didn't Hermione once talk about how soul mate's couldn't kill each other during her romantic kick in 4th year when her crush on Victor Krum had her roaming the library researching anything related to relationships in the hopes that she could find some good solid paper advice? _

_He did not like the ramifications of knowing any of that. But he couldn't run away from it. It was time to do his own research. _

_And there it was. In a red leather bound book on soul bonds. Glaring up at him with all it's smug life altering knowledge. _

_No, Soul mates couldn't kill each other. If one tried the punishment was great. And didn't Voldemort spend 10 years as a wraith?_

_Yes, Soul mates could form a mental bond if each gave a piece of the other. Didn't Dumbledore say that Voldemort gave a piece of himself that night? And didn't Voldemort take his blood for the Resurrection? But there was no love, and both were given by force and in fear and hate and anger. Obviously the bond was mutated, but it could be fixed... if they could love. Harry knew love, he knew how to share love and bring it out in others._

_Was Harry this soul mate? If so, then Neville was the Vanquisher.._

_"Wouldn't that just be ironic?" Harry whispered to himself in the silence of the empty library. "The one nobody would suspect would be their precious savior. But how... if he couldn't kill me then why hasn't he or the rest of the world realize this?"_

_And in the next paragraph he saw the rarity of soul mates meeting. That everyone had a soul mate, but sometimes in their lives they didn't always meet. And it became harder with the increasing population of the world._

_"Ah... so... If he doesn't realize this. And obviously he wouldn't since he doesn't believe in feelings... how will I get him to see me as something else?"_

_He needed some sort of real proof... After all, unexplainable things did happen to him. So there was still a chance that he had this all wrong. But... he really was never properly trained... And any training he got was to fight **against** Voldemort... even Occlumency was to keep Voldemort from figuring anything out. _

_No.. he needed more.. and he needed a plan. _

_Harry leaned back on the couch and stared up at the ceiling. But that didn't last long as he got up to research anything and everything in the library._

* * *

_Harry's unexpected 'more' came a week later when Neville himself was brought to Grimmauld place along with Hermione and the Weasley's. Harry looked questioningly at Molly while everyone settled in. _

_"Oh Harry dear, how have you been?" Molly gave him a hug, but it seemed empty now... or was it always empty? _

_"I'm fine Mrs. Weasley. Hey why's Neville here this summer?" _

_"Oh dear, because of what happened at the Ministry Dumbledore decided to bring over Neville and give him some training too. Since you all seem so determined to break the rules and do everything dangerous together. Of course I don't know what Dumbledore is thinking! You children shouldn't be worrying about this now!"_

_"Now now Molly, you know how those children are." The Headmaster chuckled as he walked in with Snape at his side. Harry and Snape glared at each other, but it seemed that everyone was so used to the animosity that they just ignored them._

_"Sir, who is going to be training us all?" Harry looked away from Snape and asked Dumbledore._

_"Oh no my boy, you don't need any training, you already have what you need. Don't worry now. But of course Neville, Ron and Hermione are going to need the help for when the time comes." Dumbledore nodded at him._

_Harry wanted to throw up. That foolish little thought he'd been holding was festering again, was this how it would be now? He would be replaced, and the new Golden Trio would take out Voldemort? Or... him and Voldemort.. no.. no he still didn't have the full proof._

_"However Harry," Dumbledore continued not seeing Harry's turmoil, or if he did it was ignored. "You will be practicing with Severus here to continue on with your Occlumency, I realize that you gave up, " 'Wait what?' "on your training during the school year. But you must take it back up. After all, we wouldn't want to put anyone else in danger now would we?"_

_Harry could deal. He could handle the backwards comment that he was at fault. He did let his curiosity get in the way. But that last sentence, it was a near blatant blame that he got Sirius killed. _

_And the fit he threw was worthy of a few damaged ear drums._

* * *

_So he had his 'more'. He had his research. He had his bond proof. And now, he had his vocal proof._

_Courtesy of Snape's will to say anything to break Harry Potter._

_"Just give me a break please! It's just not working!" Harry nearly cried in frustration another week and a half later. It seemed that they were on a time limit, for every other day he was forced into this farce of a training. _

_And as Snape mind raped him time and again, he would see the undeniable proof that Harry was abused, unloved, and damage. Seeing the repeated Deaths of Cedric and Sirus, Harry was falling into depression and anger, much to Snape's glee. _

_"You foolish boy! You do not deserve the luxury of a break. The Dark Lord will never give you a break. Pathetic, and the world believes this waste of life to be their Savior." Snape sneered in undisguised amusement that he had carte` blanche`to torment the child._

_'Wait.. believes?... That can't be.. Does he know?' That little muscle in Harry's brain dubbed Slytherin Harry went to work. He knew that in these moods Snape would say anything and everything without a filter. And he knew from experience that Snape never actually lied. Perfect._

_"Of course I'm the Savior! Professor Dumbledore showed me the prophecy. It's me or him you know! You git, Professor Dumbledore said so himself to everyone!" Harry's face was flushed, his nails digging into his palms in anticipation of knowing more._

_Snape threw his head back and laughed, as if it would be great fun to break Harry down just a bit more. "Idiotic child. Just like your father, believing you to be more than you are. Nothing! Do you really think the Headmaster would just expose the Savior like that? You're just a figurehead. A decoy! Why do you think Longbottom is really here boy? He is the true Savior and you are nothing. Just a useless decoy. Oh yesss." He hissed, eyes wide and cheeks flushed with an ugly splotchy red in enjoyment of the destruction of Harry's beliefs._

_Harry wanted to cry, oh he wanted to cry. Eyes already watering he looked to the ground. His while body was shaking. His breath hitched in his chest. "No.."_

_"Yes boy, you are nothing. How does it feel? To know your are just as worthless and as pathetic as your father?" Deep sadistic laughter came from deep within his chest. It made Harry's skin feel like it was coated in spiders._

_Disgust evident on Harry's face he looked back up at Snape. All the memories he ran through, seemed to be put in display just for Harry. Those memories were personal... were his... and Snape just took them and watched them like a pensieve TV show._

_Wait..._

_Memories.. pensieve TV show.._

_'That's it!' Harry jumped in his mind in excitement. 'That's how I'll share my proof. I'll have to change Hedwig's colors first... I'm sure the twin's can help me there, they can use their magic. Hah, thank you Snape. you've probably just saved my hide. I should thank you somehow...'_

_Hm... Harry put on a face of fury and hatred. "I bet that secret won't last long you Death Eater! I bet you already told Voldemort about Neville! Just so you can be all goody goody with the snakey bastard."_

_It was almost the wrong thing to say as Snape moved forward and grabbed Harry by the upper arm, squeezing tightly and sure to leave bruised. Harry cried out in pain but it only seemed to make him tighten his hold. Oh Harry swore he would be the one to kill him, slowly and painfully... hmm.. perhaps he would lengthen his death over the course of a year... make him cry... and... oh Snape's spewing again._

_"... think I would give the Dark Lord more power to win? Do you even have brain in that thick skull of yours! You think I would want to keep following him myself? Oh no boy, no. The knowledge that I have information he would kill to have is far satisfying that you can imagine." Snape's laughter echoed through the room. Harry really wanted to smile. _

_'Oh no... the knowledge that I can now hold your life on a line is far far more satisfying...' _

_Harry threw around a few more statements and insults in order to get Snape to toss him out faster. He had some twins to consult, a vial to find, and a damming piece of paper that he took from Neville who of course forgot to burn. _

* * *

_"Alright Hedwig... I'm going to fill this up, and you're going to take it to him. Don't let anyone else touch this but him... Peck and claw anyone who gets in your way, and don't let his giant snake eat you. Got it girl?"_

_Hedwig hooted and Harry nodded to her before bringing his want to his temple..._

* * *

Lord Voldemort pulled his head out of the pensieve and looked over at the now tawny colored owl staring at him with a face that clearly said 'Well? what are you going to do about it?'

He was unsurprised that Severus had truly betrayed him. Still, it burned a deep anger inside his chest and decided Severus would truly suffer. He could see in Potter's eyes that vindictive need to take his revenge and was sure that Severus' death would not be by his hand but Harry's instead. Surprisingly he didn't mind, in fact it made his lips twitch a little in amusement.

And with the obvious proof that the lucky little brat was quite possibly his soul mate Lord Voldemort had much to think about and plan for.

Well, obviously he wouldn't take it at face value, he would examine their bond, go over the right potions and rituals to see if it was true. But in the large chance it was, he couldn't allow harm to come to Potter.

If the prophecy was to be believe he would reign true and Magic would be free and great once again. And all who sought to repress their history and nature would rue the day. It was everything he dreamed. To bring back the glory of magic with himself reigning supreme... Or perhaps... reigning supreme with a Dark Consort at his side. The idea appealed to him quite a bit. The Dark Lord Voldemort and His Consort... yes.. definite appeal. The boy would look beautiful at his side.

Smoothing his head down the owl's neck while Nagini sulked in the corner Voldemort nodded his head. "Yes, I must retrieve him, kill Longbottom and raze their Headquarters to the ground. They will never win."

Hedwig hooted at him in a questioning manner, and as if he knew what she was asking he responded, "If he is indeed my soul mate, he must be trained. My Death Eaters will not accept a weak Consort. He must learn to make them submit to his power... and yes.. what power he has..."

Bobbing her head in agreement she watched as Voldemort wrote two words down on a small piece of paper, rolled it up and stuck it to her leg with a notice-me-not charm tuned to everyone but Harry.

"Take this to him quickly," Hedwig soared out the window and Voldemort made his way to the library to research more on soul mates with the piece of paper he received from Harry in his right hand.

_"The Headquarters to the Order of the Phoenix is located at Number 12 Grimmauld Place"_

* * *

"_Pack Everything"_

Harry glanced at the piece of paper again for the 10th time that had been nearly another week since he sent the memories and secret paper. Neville had left yesterday as his grandmother demanded him home. He had been hard at work, in between chores set by Molly, he worked hard to take everything he wanted from the house.

His research and the twins knowledge showed that with all the other adults in the house his magic wouldn't register with the Ministry and so therefore he made liberal use of packing and shrinking and stasis charms on a majority of the books and items in the house. He even found a lovely emerald locket with a silver snake on the front hiding in Kreacher's cupboard with other items while Kreacher was running around the house trying to upset everyone.

He felt the necklace, so obviously Slytherin, would make a good 'please don't hurt me yet' gift to Voldemort.

Soon it was night time, and he made his excuses and went to bed, looking out the window that faced the front of the house. He stared into the streets and shadows, waiting and wondering. Would he come? Did he really want him to?

Well.. yes... They could forgive each other for all the almost killing each other moments. After all, this was Harry's true hope to have someone for himself. If Voldemort didn't love him that's okay, because Harry would get him to love him. So Harry wouldn't have any children with a wife. That was okay too, they could adopt and use a blood adoption ritual he found in one of the Black books.

He knew they would fight. And argue. He knew he would have a lot to live up to if Voldemort accepted him. And he knew he would have to make Voldemort work for his forgiveness for killing his family. But perhaps he would make it up to him with Snape and the Dursley's as a gift. After all, he would have to practice his curses somewhere.

He looked back on the day he first learned he was a wizard and the hexes and jinxes and curses book he found. He remembered planning his revenge to the Dusley's for hiding his heritage. He remembered the hat wanted him in Slytherin. And he remembered all the pain the Light caused him. And he knew he could do this. Just because the world saw a forgiving goody Gryffindor Savior didn't mean there was more to him. After all, he was abused and broken down as a child, that left its marks. Marks he was always able to hide. No one comes out of what he did unscathed and with a little sociopath hate.

The clock chimed at midnight and he stared back out the window. He couldn't hear the pops, but he could see the shadows move. They moved like the shadows in the Veil room, only here he knew what was behind these movements.

It was him.

His future.

His life.

His Soul Mate.

_His freedom..._


End file.
